NBA FINALS: LAKERS VS. HEAT

October 11, 2020

Jimmy Butler

Miami Heat

Game 6: Postgame

Los Angeles Lakers - 106, Miami Heat - 93

Q. Spo rarely gets emotional the way he did coming in here and talking about what the room was like, what this brotherhood was like, what this three-month experience was like. How hard is this moment knowing that this journey with this team is over?

JIMMY BUTLER: It's hard because it was special to us. We really enjoy playing with one another, really enjoy being around one another. I just appreciate it and I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to be able to do that. Obviously, nobody likes to lose. But I think we fought all year long. Ups and downs, we stayed together. I think that's what it's all about. I don't know what next year looks like, what it brings, but I'm very grateful, thankful and blessed to have played with these guys.

Q. What did you learn about yourself this year?

JIMMY BUTLER: That I'm a decent player. I think that I grew in every aspect of the game. So I can smile about that. More than anything, I've learned that here, me works. Here, I'm always, always, always, always going to believe in my guys. I think the one thing that I learned more than anything is how fun it is to play with these guys. It really was fun watching all my young fellas grow. Having vets come in and showcase what they can still do and teach me so much. It was a great time.

Q. (Question about the Miami Heat organization.)

JIMMY BUTLER: Just got a group that's a lot like me. The fan base is incredible. The organization keeps it real all the time, the coaches do and the players do as well. They embraced me. They want me to be here. It's fortunate to be able to be around people like that. I'm very fortunate. This is where I belong. This is what makes me smile. This is what makes me happy. I wish I could have done it for the city. I wish I could have done it for my teammates, for the organization. But I'm still glad that it happened.

Q. (Question about Goran Dragic.)

JIMMY BUTLER: A lot. I love him to death. I love him to death. I wish I could play with him as a teammate for forever. Because these are the moments that you cherish. He put his body on the line for me and the rest of our guys for this organization. That shows the type of player that he is and the type of person that he is. We go down swinging, I'm glad he was out there fighting with us.

Q. I know it's hard in this moment, but just taking a step back, what could you say to us about the trajectory of this organization, considering the development of the young players and the guys you have under contract for next season coming back?

JIMMY BUTLER: We're trending in the right direction. We're going to learn from this. We're going to get better. We're going to come back. We're going to come back. We'll be back. That's what we're all saying in that locker room. We got guys that want to do it. We got guys that already want to get back in the gym and get to working at this thing. That's what we do here.

Like I said, it was a pleasure to play with these guys. We're definitely moving in the right direction.

Q. You've had a lot of highs and a lot of lows throughout the course of your career, specific to this experience in the bubble. What are you going to take away most from what has occurred over the last few months?

JIMMY BUTLER: Just the bond that this group built. I wouldn't give that back for the world. We really, really, really love being around one another and competing with one another. I wouldn't trade that for the world. If I had to spend three months around some people, these people, they're the ones that I want to do it with.

Q. Considering that this was your first NBA Finals and the way you performed, especially in Game 3 and Game 5, were you happy with, aside from not getting the championship, were you happy with how you performed individually or do you feel that you can even get to a higher level?

JIMMY BUTLER: I didn't win, so none of the stats matter. We don't play for stats here. We don't play for anything else except for the win. I didn't do that. I didn't do my job. I'll be better, along with everybody else. I'll be better coming back. You sulk on this because of what could have been, but it didn't happen. We didn't win, and that's what you leave this at.

Q. What was the challenge that made you need to push yourself to a place you had never gotten to?

JIMMY BUTLER: This is what my team needed me to do, the organization asked of me. I told them that I would win them one and I didn't hold up my end of the bargain, so that means I got to do it next year. I told Coach Pat, I told Coach Spo I'm here to win one. I didn't do my job, so moving forward, I got to hold up my end of the bargain.